Roger, there are many of us that truly appreciate your reports and updates about what is going on in this city. It is obvious from your scanner reports that you don't post everything, and You are the first to point out that you are leaving out specific information when it will hurt the investigation or those involved. I can say that I check edhat often, several times a day. 95% of the time I'm looking to see if you have anything reported. This is the first site I go to for information. When we've had the fires, I followed your feed, and the comments from your readers, instead of looking on the "news" sites. Thank you for your time and efforts.

I don't post all the information Including suspect information. I know criminals love the media I used to be a criminal. So thee torch lights the fire it gets reported fires on the way sirens all over the place Media is going to report. When media reports people listen if the incident is in their hood they watch. There were 50 reporting parties on the tree fire sooner or later someone will see the torch and he,she,it, whatever will ge caught. Thanks I hope I sleep too..

This is easy stuff, it's good to happen in the city. You locals know what I mean, no?I promise to say no more about the issue. some locals who have been through it may do the same or spread the thought. It might even make a bit of difference to some bad person...

You can join most of them as they commence in the morning. I would not walk in either, for the same reasons you have. You could check in with court clerk office; bailiff at break is always a good idea. You may be joined by court watchers and students, along with interested parties. Check the court calendar posted on the wall in a glass case -- and probably on line.Google "santa barbara county court calendar"I haven't been there in years, so take my "info" with a grain of salt.

Not sure about the etiquette for criminal trials but the civil trial I was a juror for allowed people in and out of the gallery at anytime as long as they did not disturb the proceedings. But I suggest you follow a trial beginning to end else you may not have a clue what is going if come in the middle of it

I sure miss follow-up on this site. I realize it's too big to allow for threads to be comment-guided; brought back to life by comments, but like all local news sites, follow-up takes a real effort from news consumers. The Independent is good at it.I also read Noozhawk every day; I don't just rely on Edhat.

I am very impressed with the general direction of this conversation, especially the immediate critique of the opening post as sensational. Good job, citizens! Nice to have Edhat to keep up on this development/site, thanks.

No one is stranded, but it's not unusual for students to take the latest bus to make class at a certain time. So if they don't get on, they get on the next bus 15 or 30 minutes later. That means they're 15 or 30 minutes late for class, a test, a lab, or some other deadline.

181P, have you ever actually traveled in a "third world country"?! My biggest reactions have been to stepping into American stores upon return. Count Your Blessings.

I care not about what store it is, I care somewhat about our first world privileged standards, to which I am accustomed, and clerks and managers have always treated me very well at the drug store on Calle Laureles & State, which, I may add, is MUCH cheaper than Federal Drug, though I've used them for their selection.

I must agree with shopping online; if you don't have the ability, see if someone can do it for you.

Medicine Shoppe at State and Ontare has about the best service I've ever seen anywhere, and yes, the worst parking. Go in the afternoon.I'm a caregiver, not a patient. And if you're not getting good service, watch your own behavior, even though these stores are there to serve you.

I don't care about the gas station, but I do miss the pet rattlesnake that lived in a glass cage there. I used to buy gas there sometimes just so I could go in and look at that rattlesnake.

So here's an idea: bring back the rattlesnake in a glass cage in the main waiting room at the new Sansum facility! The kids would love it. Maybe even charge 50 cents for a mouse to feed the snake, like when you buy fish to feed the dolphins at Sea World.

I'd much rather watch the rattlesnake than read an eight-month-old issue of the Reader's Digest.

Crappy wait staff. Joes is much better. Young and non professional hosts and crap food. No wonder the drinks are stiff. You need a couple to drown out the negative. The pictures on the wall best part of harrys. It starts at the top with the owners and goes down to the wait staff. Not a friendly place to work for the servers. I don't expect much when i go there.

I must agree with 181 and 096 about ordering a hamburger patty! AKA salisbury steak. Bad choice. Know what to order. My family ate french dips there 30-40 years ago and decades later I had friends who had their name on a booth. It's a meet-upn spot with great salad, onion rings and other food. It's no way blue-haired, and I know lots of people who are silver or white-haired by 30 or 40 due to genetics. I always see 20, 30, 40 and 50 year-olds, and older there when I go. I mean, a whole range of people. Thank goodness those older can still make it out for a night!

How DO you tell 40 from 50 year olds? ( I'm SO old, I'm dying. I'm 50.)

No one is stranded at a bus stop. You simply wait for the next one. Or, the one after that. That's done everywhere that mass transportation is used. You could even show up much earlier and beat the anticipated glut. It's public transportation. Not door-to-door cab service. Using a false sense of urgency to panic and herd people is a little unfriendly.

A number of people saw this issue haunting the horizon, again. An inquiry was made within Student Services in the last eighteen months about the fees and where the money goes. The question was asked of a full-time, regular employee (not a student worker). I was told the money is sent to the MTD- the school only collects it for them but they do not keep it. Clarifications from both institutions is certainly in order, at this point. $260,000.00 in unused bus fees every semester is going somewhere.

Viewing students as cash cows is as old as the hills. It's a dadgum shame that in this day and age, our society rewards outright treachery.

My kids like the food and atmosphere at Harry's. My wife and I like the drinks and atmosphere at Harry's. If we're going out for a drink, Harry's is great. if we're going out for a nice meal, then it's to somewhere else. None of the adults in the family goes to Harry's for the food. Harry's is what it is, and I don't think it wants to become great food.

yep, no comparison to Longs and CVS. Longs would give a little leeway to management and let them order a few items of their own desire. An aisle or two would be stocked with items directly selected by the individual store. Midtown longs always had a nice Hawaiian sundries and gifts (?).Not so with CVS - inventory control from the big brothers in corporate. Any employee at CVS is truly a cog in the wheel.

The official address for this site is 4151 Foothill Road. I understand that a number of trees are to be retained. These include some oak trees, the olive trees along Cieneguitas Street and at least two of the Abizzia trees. As with the threatened eucalyptus trees at the downtown Library, one needs to protest potential tree removal long before the bulldozers are on the ground.

I agree, not plicatilis. The leaves aren't on the same plane as plicatilis is wont. The leaves of this plant are quite irregular. The succulent type and flower _do_ indicate some sort of aloe but I haven't been able to sort out which one just yet.

CVS doesn't remind me of being in a foreign land as much as it's a reminder of what's become of the U.S.A.Also, it's part of the reason L.M. Caldwell's free of prescription delivery and personal care is appreciated. Of course, CVS sells a lot more items and probably a bit less expensive; it is what it is.

The absurd thing is that heat engines, like what you have in your car, throw away 75% of the energy as heat. Out the tail pipe and out the radiator, energy is wasted, with no useful place for it to go.

So when you buy $80 of gas, $60 of it gets wasted. You only get $20 converted into mechanical energy. The laws of thermodynamics dictate that's the best you can do.

Now think about all the useful things we can do with petroleum. Plastics for thousands of useful things. Feed stock for all sorts of industrial processes. And when we need fuel for something mobile, like a fire truck or an airplane, it is one of the densest sources of energy you can have.

50 years from now, we will look back and ask, we had so much petroleum, and what did we do with it? WE BURNED IT. That's like using works of art for a camp fire.

What a shame if someone already vandalized the new sign. I think there should be a vigilante volunteer group of insomniacs that patrol in the wee hours of the morning. I bet these non-sleepers could help by calling in a lot of nefarious activity.

I don't agree that they have tough meat. My experience is the opposite. I think Harry's has the best meat sandwiches in town. I have found their hot roast beef sandwich and their corned beef or roast beef dip to be excellent. If you got a bad Omaha, say something.

I like hoo-doos. I like to see them.I find them charming, and there is an ANCIENT Pilgrim Tradition in the Celtic lands to add to them. On hikes to the tops of sacred mountains it is the accepted practice to put a stone in your pocket and carry it to the top. There, you add it to the cairn of stones, and say a bit of a prayer of gratitude that you are healthy enough to climb all that way. When you descend again you feel spiritually and physically lighter.I think of the spirit of evanescence when I see them at the beach, the quiet concentration it takes to pile them up.I would never knock them over, and pity anyone who thinks they are obtrusive, dangerous, or a problem.

While I also long for Long's ... CVS isn't going anywhere. In fact, CVS Caremark is the official administrator of my company's prescription drug plan. Of course, in-network pharmacies include all the CVS pharmacies.

Funny how people's priorities can change as they get older. I hope Fred would not have advocated for a Walmart when he was younger.

This review was awful, and inexcusable attempt at humor. Please focus on the non-food novel and quit degrading SB eateries with your biased opinion. Coming from this blog of a site, I have already lost my appetite.

If they are not neutered this is quite typical and I am surprised your vet did not tell you that. I've been involved with dog breeding in the past and it is inevitable that at some point they will do this. If you don't, get used to it.

Every person talking about things being taken directly to the landfill are all misinformed.

Everything goes to The South Coast Recycling and Transfer Station located at 4430 Calle Real.

100% of all construction waste, roll-offs, everything on a construction site or from private parties goes there.

The South Coast Recycling and Transfer Station is home to a recycling center that processes approximately 200 tons per day of recyclable materials including commingled recyclables, electrical appliances, automobile batteries, bicycles, construction and demolition debris, electronic items, used tires, and wood and yard waste.

The landfill is not open to the public and no one goes there except city franchised haulers who only bring pure trash, and what is left after everything is sorted and recycled at the transfer station.

Everyone assuming things are sent straight to the dump and not recycled or re-used are incorrect.

Now as far as if there is someone donating special handcrafted items to local artists, we do not know but it is possible. Even if not, the construction companies can make money by selling what is discarded instead of bringing it to the transfer station. If something is of high value and not wanted, you can bet they would rather make money than pay the transfer station fees.

Perhaps we should not throw stones at Oprah and other successful people before we actually get informed as to the facts?

Thank you for your kind words. I have had a few different people contacting me to say they really believe that they have seen Jason in Santa Barbara on State street. I am praying these reports are true. I am in Santa Rosa continuing the search of the park. We have had leads that didn't work out before and it is just devastating. We do have family driving to SB to try and walk around to see if they can confirm or rule out the sightings.

dittoing hoosier-not's comment--thank you, fred! also ditto 375078P. i've gotten so tired of experiencing what you've described at cvs as well as at other stores locally, i've started doing more shopping through drugstore.com--they carry many of the things i've had trouble getting here, often at better prices, & free shipping when the order is only $25; usually arrives within 2-3 days. anyway, i look forward to reading your future topics. your new column already looks like a winner. :-)

C'mon now. Everyone who is complaining that the tired old derelict gas station that was deteriorating on that lot for the past 20 years is going to be replaced by a new building needs to calm down a bit.

Harry's is Harry's. Either you are an old-timer with simpler (tough) meat and potatoes standards from an earlier era, or you are a gastronome obsessed with today's organic fresh orthodoxy foodie culture.It's not really fair to apply the modern-day standard to Harry's. It's not, and doesn't want to try to be, a fresh vegetable or free range beef wonderland.Drink up!

What's happening at Harry's, is the same thing that happened to Joe's, pre Montesano. (The food went downhill but the drinks remained strong.) Joe's food has improved now for several years. Hopefully Harry's will do the same. If not, people will still go there.

Harry's is indeed gross. And the food has been bad there since the 70s. If you like congealed masses of re-heated rubbery food, then you'll love it here. I never understand how people can rave about this.

I'm not a foodie and I eat a lot of places that aren't expensive or on the beaten path. But this place? I just. Don't. Get. It.

(I think the pictures of the food posted here are a great representation of how gross the food really is at Harry's.)

All student should pay the transportation fee for one simple reason. We have to learn how to adopt more efficient modes of transportation, and the bus is one of them. A car barely gets 1.5 MPG/ton with a 100 lb occupant, or 3 MPG/ton with a 200 lb guy. A freight train gets 423 MPG/ton. A bus is somewhere between that, around 150 * 50 * 8 /2000 = 30 MPG/ton.

We will run out of petroleum in these student's lifetimes, somewhere around 20 to 40 years from now. Yet, we're still burning through resources like there's no tomorrow. The U.S. passed peak oil in the 70's. OPEC is now drilling in deep water, and that is an indication they are peaking or have peaked. Nobody goes after the costly stuff if the cheap stuff is still abundant.

Like it or not, we have to conserve valuable resources.The gallon of gas you burn today could be some kid's heart valve replacement tomorrow.

Flag store in Carp is your friend. Linden towards beach, turn left at Tyco, or whatever they call it now. (The street before the railroad tracks.) Stop in at Island Brewery next door before heading home.

One should note that usually when they are out of something, for example first aid tape for bandages, they are only out of the LOW PRICE version; the high price one whispers "Do you really want to drive to another big chain drug store and hope that they have your tape for $2 cheaper, or do you just want to suck it up and pay thru the nose for our expensive one that is in stock. Buy me, sucka!"

Amazon prime is your friend, as is mail order pharmacies associated with your health care plan. Don't have one? You will by 2014. O O Obamacare.

Roger, don't forget the sour cream with green onions!! Used in place of butter as a bed for the salsa. Mmm mmm good. The only way I use sour cream besides enriching some broths, like borscht and boiled dinner (corned beef). Glad some people addressed the food in more detail.

Just wanted to note that THIS is what Edhat readers are concerned with. Just look at the consumption rate (number of reads and posts). Just like dog-related posts. It is understandable; some problems seem relevant to daily life and that they may be able to be affected, while the big social issues seem utterly resistant to change. Rational economics, incentives, and all...

105P So true, we only stay in hotels when we can't get a VRBO or if it's only a day or two. Having said that most people would probably only stay at El Encanto for a day or two but they are people that would also stay at San Ysidro Ranch and if you look at the price point I listed previosly I'm guessing El Encanto will do just fine.

There is no such thing as corporate stores gobbling up Mom & Pop stores. The reason they thrive, while the independents fail, is that more people shop at them. Money talks. Guess who's to blame? WE are. The consumers who choose the Goliaths over the Davids.

Fred, I couldn't agree with you more. When CVS was taking over Long's on Maui the locals picketed the store for days with signs that read "No CVS" well the CVS on Maui is still called Long's and still carries a lot of the items Long's carried plus the CVS brands. Not sure that tactic would have worked in SB though:-)

If enough of us complain to the Manager or the corporate headquarters it may make a difference.

I was thinking about this thread as I was walking around a supermarket just now, not finding what I needed (in some cases, shelf tags were there, but no products). I wonder if this is also a Santa Barbara thing -- I grew up in L.A. and before my husband and I moved here nearly 30 years ago, we seldom had to go to more than one market to find everything we needed/wanted. As soon as we got here, we realized that if we wanted a certain brand of yogurt we had to plan to go one place; a specific type of frozen waffles were available only at a different store; 2-liter bottles of club soda were sold only at a 3rd store. Now we plan our shopping trips based on which market we need to go to to find what we need.

Worked on her place 10 years ago and signed the prerequisite non disclosure. So, can't say much but was shocked when the dozers came out on the very nice pre-remodeled estate. Expect another clean slate for Tara part 2.

This sounds like another sensational story. Oh, Mr. Towbes is out there personally? Why not mention the business name. "Tree elimination" ? Are most of the trees being removed, how many? "Plastic surgery" oh like it's going to be mostly for those who can afford this? Clarifications needed.

Harry's certainly won't be winning any culinary awards anytime soon, and it's the only place where I order like Sally from When Harry met Sally (I get the burnt ends, no bread, with onion rings instead of fries and cole slaw). It's like nothing I would normally make myself but there's something about it that's really awesome every other month or so. Add to it they make my husband's favorite drink and my kid can eat for $2, and it makes it a fun night out. Clearly it's filling a need in the city or it wouldn't always be packed.

Camarillo Target has my vote. Go there after a Camarillo Duathlon at the historic Camarillo Airport to feel physically great and to save money. The next Duathlon is Sunday, March 1oth. Have fun. I am a Santa Barbarian.

Lauren, not my experience. I have been eating there since the 70's when Harry greeted every customer and had his Townehouse up the hill. But even then you didn't go there for the food, we went because the drinks were huge, the atmosphere was somewhere between historical and hysterical and the bartenders were great. My wife and I still go there at least once a month, they still host almost all of my employee parties in the Ranchero Room and frankly the food has gotten a wee bit better. Their appetizers are fairly good, their burgers are pretty good, their salads are outstanding and their bread and salsa is always a hit. My wife misses their great chicken fried steak and I miss their fried scallops. But the bottom line is it's not about the food, it's about the drinks, the great staff, the drinks, the camaraderie, the drinks and the free history lesson you get on all of the walls. Oh and did I mention it's about the drinks? Hmmm, must be time for a drink right now!

Chain stores gobbling up Mom and Pops is capitalism at it's apex. Whether that is good for Mom and Pop, or helps make for decent wages for the person manufacturing, or for hurts manufacturing here in the USA, is obvious. It is good for the 10 or co board members of CVS, and the legislators they support, who in turn support monopolies. If you like a choice, don't vote for people who think corporations are people.

Great start, Fred! I miss Longs every time I walk into a CVS. I have gone into CVS several times looking for those items I used to buy in Longs only to find that they do not stock them (e.g. sunglasses), or that they are now twice the price Longs sold them for (e.g. adhesive bandages, ace wraps).

I work in the medical field and patients and doctors alike frequently lament the replacement of Longs with CVS.

I was molested by Father Ford from 1968-1971 in Orange County while he was at Holy Family, his first parish. I since have uncovered 24 other victims of Ford.

Any nice things he did are far outweighed by stealing the innocence of children and then covering it up when confronted. He HAD a chance to make it right by a simple admission and apology. I was vindicated when my abuse case settlement came in 2007. I am vindicated again, now that he is dead from brain cancer after living a lie his whole entire life. He cannot hurt boys anymore. AMEN.

We're own some property in another state (rural, north). The city park there is on a major river and has campsites. There are bathrooms with cold running water and flush toilets. People are encouraged to pay what they can afford to camp there, and are asked not to camp there for more than 2 weeks time. It seems to work quite well.

California has become an entitlement state, and our ridiculous policies, which pamper the crooks and homeless, just make it worse and worse. If you hold people accountable and responsible, and treat them like adults, then they start acting like adults. Those who don't behave like responsible adults end up in jail for a long time, not the brief stops we specialize in here.

RD: How does your last sentence jibe with your earlier endorsement of Shaky's idea about what sounds like a forced work camp for the homeless? Please don't get your hackles up, am just asking a question and, yes, you do have a right to your opinion as do we all.

Preaching to the choir, Fred, and we're singing the same song. Bring back Thrifty while we're at it. I gave up on CVS. I now know to talk to the actual manager at Rite-Aid to get him to order enough of what I want. It took 3 tries to get anyone to listen, which I told the actual manager when I finally got to him.

All us old farts should complain directly to the managers, and if that doesn't work, to the corporate headquarters, until we finally get competent managers in the big chain stores in this town. (Home Depot's another mismanaged nightmare.) Perhaps what drives me craziest is the 30 year old managers who don't understand that the point of retail is stocking what the customers want to buy, and teaching your employees to provide actual service, while using their brains. When I think of the conscientious 50+ year olds I know that can't find jobs, and then look at how horribly some of these stores are run, it makes me see red.

I might suggest that you skip Home Depot on that stocking issue as well. Since I have to spend a ton of time in Home Depot picking out only certain items, I know how to check the overhead stock on the items they always under stock on the shelves.

It takes time out of my day, time I don't get paid extra for and time I have to make up at the end of the day. I bet the staff often thinks I am a cranky customer.

But what bothers me, is after I have located the stock, got the guy with the extra tall ladder to come get the box, they only pick out the exact number I need. Because "it is the night crews job to stock the shelves" Hello, your not open at night and this is a commonly used product that you will probably have to climb up after several times in one day. Why not stock the shelf while you are there?

073, the beach and town where most tourists prefer to be? I would say that is an oversimplified generalization. Many people now who travel--not all "tourists" in the sense you mean--want an out of the way, private, discrete neighborhood feel to their accommodations. Thus the success of VRBO and sites like it.Many folks like to get the feel of a community away from the souvenir t-shirts, noise, crowds, and in the case of our town, homeless people who harass them.

When CVS refused to special order the Cinnamon-Clove flavor of Tom's toothpaste (even in quantity, which I was willing to pay for upfront) I gave up and turned to Amazon. No tax (at the time) and no shipping for orders over $25. And that's where I continue to buy.

CVS doesn't have to accommodate anyone's request. And I don't have to give them my money.

I watched the manager of the Coast Village Road CVS berate a young employee last month. They were at the end of the cosmetic aisle right near the store entrance. As she concluded her harangue, the manager yelled, "And you're wearing jeans, which is forbidden!" I went up to the distraught girl and told her she looked very nice and was sorry she was treated so badly. I got a thank you and a sweet smile from her before she ran out the door. I wonder if she ever came back to such a toxic workplace?

Used to go there regularly but not anymore. It has really gone downhill. My budget doesn't allow me to go out to eat frequently so when I do I want good food and service. It's really a shame. Harry is probably rolling over in his grave.

I love Harry's. The ambiance transports me into a earlier simpler time and place.

You are right, the food could use improvement. The trick is to know what they do well and then subsitute as needed. The friendly wait staff at Harry's is really cool with that. Try doing that at Joe's and the wait staff there will chew your head off. Joe's use to be the friendly dining experience that Harry's still is. And that's why locals still flock to Harry's.

CVS sucks compared to Longs, but I would NEVER advocate for a Walmart. Ever. Ever ever. EVER. They are a horrible company, a thousand times worse than Chick-fil-A. Seriously. They make Chick-fil-a look like angels.

Just on the off-chance the city might have some suggestions for neighborhoods besides painting over or sand-blasting (which is, understandably, the best fix-and-move-on solution for city work): City of Santa Barbara, "Graffiti" phone number : 897-2513.

Last summer I was at CVS and one of the items I was buying was on special, buy 1 and get the 2nd for 50% off. There was only 1 on the shelf, so I spoke to someone who told me to tell the checker to give it to me for 25% off. I tell this to the checker, who gives me kind of a blank look and then asks how much she should take off. The item was $12.99, so I utilized my feeble old brain for 1/2 a second and told her that 25% of $13 would be $3.25. So she asks if she should take off $3. I tell her no, 25% of $13 would be $3.25. She says she'll make it $10. I ask if there's an issue giving me 25% off, so she does something on her calculator and tells me that $3.25 off of $12.99 is $10.74. I point out that if you subtract $3 from an item that's $12.99 the total will be below $10, then I take out my cell phone/calculator and show her that 75% of $12.99 is $9.74 (and a 1/4 cent) and tell her she should make it $9.75. Guess math wasn't her strongest subject in school.

I think to be fair we have to distinguish between two sizes of CVS stores. On the Mesa we have a smaller CVS store and I think it is great we have a CVS on the Mesa. If you go to a full size CVS - downtown or Goleta - you are likely to find a larger supply. They will often give you a rain check if you ask. In addition, you also have to accept the new ways stores are stocked to make money. They order what they think they need and do not over order. It is just the way business is run these days. If you check out their financial reports you'll see they must be doing something right.

What does it matter what she does to her home? she has the money to pay for a remodel let her do it.. She is very generous and has helped many many people.. She does hire local contractors.. More power to you Oprah!!! Hoo Rah...

Welcome, Fred. yes, that has happened to me too at CVS, while shopping for an elderly person. I choose an older manager-type to ask for the product, but it's worked for me with younger employees too. They have given me the house brand at the name-brand coupon price more than once, and have given me rain checks for sale prices. I've come out ahead, sometimes. Try it!

I feel like this review was written by Lauren to showcase her "humor". To write a "to be taken seriously" review on Harry's on a website frequented by SB locals is a joke in itself. People definitely don't go to Harry's for the "good food". Nostalgia, good drinks, the ambiance, photos on the walls .... I enjoy Harry's, been going there since I was a kid (same w/ my parents) its just a fun place to go & people watch while enjoying a good drink. Pretty sure the only people who go to Harry's for the "good food" are the 70+ crowd who don't know any different than their usual Saturday evening go to restaurant.

Now that's what I call preaching to the choir. Next week's article, those damned kids and how to keep them off my lawn. Sheesh...Longs was fine, but hardly something to reminisce about...they were just as incompetent, which is why I regularly got $30 bottles of wine mis-priced at $5.

I knew Barnaby for close to 40 years. He painted a lovely portrait of my father looking terribly important. A true renaissance man. How talented he was to master so many artistic interests.A master. He will be dearly missed by all of us who were lucky enough to know him. RIP old boy.

We have street sweeping AND bikes lanes on our block. And until recently , there was also an 'unloading only' zone on the block during school hours. Recently they reviewed the bikes lanes. Result: NO kids from La Cumbre used the lanes during the week it was monitored. Not one. You guessed it, the bike lanes are still there, for the phantom bike riders to use, and the city is happily issuing parking tickets to any poor resident who accidentally forgets to move their car from in front of their house in time. It's all about the money. There is no need for the bike lanes what-so- ever.

I think you answered your own question. Why leave a pristine sign to get tagged when you can hang the old junk out there for a month until the opening. Business people are much smarter than our local leaders and know that this town is not as safe as it is sold to them, so why risk your expensive new sign more than necessary.

Lauren,You were way too kind and 65 is absolutely correct about it being all about the drinks. It's hard to believe with all the good restaurants in SB people will eat this junk. Maybe it's the nostalgia factor, they want to live in the past, even just for the duration of a meal.

Would love to see some reviews of the healthier, affordable restaurants that *do* deserve the local and tourist business, maybe The Natural, Sojourner, Silvergreen's etc.

You know what really irks me about Santa Barbara? If you do good things like employ acouple people, donate some money you can do just about anything you want and no one seems to care. I'm not just talking about Oprah either there are others many others who do things break the law but it's ok they are good people they do good things..Of course if your homeless or poor your a piece of poo poo no wonder Santa Barbara is going down hill..

It sounds as if she might have been very comfortable in the modest but impeccably built house Mrs. Bacon once had on that site. I always respected that Mrs. Bacon had the means yet understood conservation. That huge north lawn was allowed to go dry every summer though the property has a 300 gpm well that she could easily have afforded to pump. Perhaps Oprah is getting the spirit.

I haven't been in about 2 years because it's not worth the price, but their fried chicken was really* *really good. I liked the white fish piccatta and the short ribs were yummy and not too fatty. I also always order my food with zero gravy or dressing or on the side. And their veggies seemed fresh and crispy cooked, two years ago...As I said, not worth the cost though. So I'll continue to avoid.

I was just at Hendry's this morning & noticed there were more of these than usual on the small stretch of beach they occupy. I find them refreshing because they remind me of trail markers in the Sierra. Backpacking in my youth, I learned that one should NEVER dismantle any trail marker unless it was obviously marking a dangerous or dead-end route. To me, stacked rocks are a symbol of safety and a friendly offering to others that happen across them. Now, before the trolls start screaming that these are not trail markers and that you cannot get lost at Hendry's beach, my point is these REMIND me of those hikes in the Sierra and in that context, stacked rocks signify respect for mother nature's power and I truly enjoy the memories they provoke. Long way of saying, these clearly do inspire people in many different ways...and if it's important to you to destroy things that bother you, then go ahead & knock 'em down. Flatten sand castles too while you're at it. I, for one, am going to spend part of my weekly beach time stacking up as many rocks as I can gather from now on!

035P - don't. Why persecute this lady for sharing her puppy love. I support rescue, but I don't support the hijack of the weekly pet of the week post to beat people over the head with your POV. If you can't say 'nice dog', don't say anything at all!

a billion people on earth lack access to safe drinking water. 6,000 children under the age of 14 die every day from illness related to unsanitary water, and you're worried about a rock falling on your kid at the beach?

What a sweet looking dog. I have a receiver dog too, only mine is a 105 lb mixed breed rescue. Now I know it is just that he is waiting for me to serve him rather than him serving me by bringing it to me.

I find Target stores pretty boring, as I don't buy much of anything that they sell. So, it's cheap. It's still non-USA goods or stuff full of crap chemicals, or overpriced if you have the patience to search for things on Craigslist or make your own. (I found an easy recipe for liquid laundry soap...pennies per wash and minutes to make.) We have tremendous high quality food from local growers. Why would anyone buy "food" at Von's or Target?

Wouldn't the most modest and sensible thing to do to overcome a gulty feeling of over-indulgence be simply .... do nothing? Do no more decorative indulging. Just leave all the opulent, over done decor, but deem it "delightfully campy".

I care - El Encanto, even if I won't be able to afford it, will enhance our city. Am curious why there's been very little information about the progress or opening of this hotel. Also, details about the new improvements.

The comments about things going to the landfill stem from one late night drive-by comment. That's irresponsible.

The entertainment industry sometimes gets it right when it comes to responsibility. The movie lots in California were the first to break down and re-use sets nearly twenty years ago. Prior to that everything was destroyed and carted away.

Anyone that has actually followed her knows her commitment to the green movement. I'm no longer a fan of hers and haven't been for the better part of ten years. I often refer to her as Open WindSock. That's not to say I don't admire her. She came from nothing. She went to college, worked at po-dunk stations, answered a national call for a morning program in Chicago and completely transformed it from a sleepy morning show to something that reached everyone. Rob Weller never had that connection with his audience. She absolutely has worked hard for what she has.

Demonizing the "rich" while wondering what the heck just happened to your take-home pay is almost funny. The "rich" didn't legislate your problems. The "rich" have always been instrumental in helping the disadvantaged. Parroting memes from BIG PR isn't putting money in your pockets. Oprah has given millions upon millions to others in need. She is also incredibly generous to her fans.

Lastly, it's one thing for local workers to pillow-talk but I disagree with repeating whatever you think you know online. I'm not finding anything honorable in that.

Are people who are licensed to drive big rigs subject to more stringent and frequent health evaluations? I'd like to think so...what are the statistics on big rig contribution to traffic accidents and mortality? Is it only am impression that they are more dangerous than necessary?

I wondered at the time she was originally finishing her house if she would really be happy with it. I remember she paused part way through to start her African project for women and girls with the comment that the cost of tile installation in the house made her think about putting her money to more meaningful effort. I'm inclined to accept her at her word that the house never really did end up suiting her. There is value in creating beautiful and useful things...may she find the best artisans and craftspeople to make an enduring contribution to our locale.

Quite a show. Must have been 8-10 officers with guns drawn. The procedure involved lots of yelling commands about how to step out of the car. The two women looked to be in their late 20s. The pair totally cooperated after being told repeatedly they were in danger of getting shot. The car was a newish red Hyundai. My thought: sheesh, if you go to the trouble to steal a car, you might take something more expensive.

008P, LOL! I live a couple of blocks off Milpas, closer (in mileage and time to get there) to the beach than is Oprah's East Valley Road estate. It would be laughable, indeed, were lower east side properties referred to as "beachside"!

Thank you Oprah for all the employment you have given SB. Many, many are thankful for the work. She is a good employer She is no different from anyone else in Montecito. I just would not call it a seaside home.

Let's get a Target in Goleta! Who wants to drive to Ventura, Oxnard, or Thousand Oaks! I personally like Target - they have good stuff at good prices - this area needs come competition... all the commenters about social conscience and made in USA - I"m sure you people are hypocrites in many other ways -so get off your high horses will you!

Beautiful kitty. Makes me miss my two black kitties. One, "Thello" was born at the SB Shelter with congenital cataracts. Those were successfully removed, but years later he developed glaucoma and had to have an eye removed. He never missed a beat, even jumping up on the railing! The other, Maggie, was a total crack-up. She'd steal veggies as they were drying in the colander. Really. Lettuce. Broccoli. I've had over 26 cats throughout my life, she's the only one who'd eat veggies.

How wonderful that your sweet cats have so much room to roam and be cats. Thanks for posting!

sounds like these two women and many others posting on this thread would have gone into the caves at Altamira and scrubbed the cave walls clean, well, because it isn't natural or might hurt my kids or dogs! Jeeze louise!

I hope she does what George Lucas did, donate the old stuff to Habitat ReStore Habitat for Humanity. He gutted his house and donated dozens of huge beautiful expensive sliding glass doors, cedar wood, and all sorts of other things.

It should be known that while students do pay for this pass, they pay SBCC for the pass, not MTD. SBCC then pays MTD for the number of rides used by students. Any monies paid by students, to SBCC, who don't use the bus, is kept by SBCC.

It should also be known that the students who use the pass, get unlimited rides 24/7 and use the pass as many as 5 or 6 times a day.

There are many people who do not attend SBCC at all, but enroll in a class for the sole purpose of getting the pass. They never attend the class and the tuition was paid for by the tax payers in one of a few grants available.

The students who use the bus are getting the best deal that can be found in SB!

Indeed, she can do as she pleases, just like any other rich person: she can buy whatever and whoever she wants that's for sale. Sad, though, about the intricate woodwork, which took so many hours and care and skill to create, tossed so thoughtlessly in the dump.

If 10 years ago it was stripes on the wall and a library that is for show, now it's maybe no stripes and who knows what for the library. (I hope she will donate those books she chooses to toss in remodeling her library to the Planned Parenthood sale and the library sales.)

76 is awfully old to still be driving a big rig for a living. It's sort of old to still be driving a car but you'd think that the DMV wouldn't allow someone to have a commercial license to drive such a large vehicle when they are over 70. This is not an attack on elderly folks, just that there is a higher risk of medical emergency and the larger the vehicle the larger the damage could be. It's sad he lost his life and I am glad that he did not cause anyone else to lose their lives.

Murals have been used in a couple of spots in the city to deter graffiti. Art works. Since the murals at Mason and Helena went up, 99% of the tagging stopped on that building, saving thousands of dollars for the property owner. Also, the old Autohaus building at the bottom of De La Vina had the same issues, daily tags, costly paint overs and city fines. Once art was installed it stopped 100% of the tagging and the neighbors and the property owner are thrilled. There will be a refreshing of the murals today at Mason and Helena. Stop by and check it out and we can chat about your problem. Enlisting artists from the neighborhood gives them a sense of pride and it will not be tagged again. Art works.

cats need to "sharpen their claws" regularly to help them shed their nails. Those carboard cat scratcher trays are great for this, or a table leg with sisal twine tightly wrapped around it works too. New claws underneath quickly grow in to replace the shed one.

Be aware that cat claws can grow too long--I had one cat come up lame one day--one of her claws had grown so long (it never shed) it recurved and pierced her little pad! OH! did I feel badly that I hadn't noticed. A trip to the vet and she was fine and dandy. Never happened again during her long life (17 yrs).

Too bad a handful of architects and a plumber sullied the city's reputation. The lack of ethics is shameful. The seven paragraph manifesto is further evidence of the waywardness of the city administrators office. Why would I take on a project where I have to sully my reputation every time I represent a project before aCity commission. Blatant anti business, anti sole proprietor and truly discriminatory. (maybe violates FPPC guidelines, better check before the egg gets on your face) How is it that these boards and commissions have functioned ethically and fairly for decades? It's not the system that is broken, but the particular group of volunteers who broke their agreements to be impartial and ethical. Punish them not the rest of us.

I know for a fact some of the changes she is making is recessed lighting in the ceiling. She never installed any when she remodeled. My husband worked on that house for 3 years (carriage house and main). The wallpaper and faux paints are all pastel and many rooms have stripes on the walls. Maybe many of the updates are cosmetic but I'm sure some are for functionality. I too agree she should allow others to reclaim or donate items for reuse. She is using local contractors, some of the same people/companies that built her house 10 years ago. I see many people remodeling after 10 years of living in a home. It's her money she should be able to do as she pleases.

910P, Agree. I've only been there once, but "Center" is a generous name for the place. It seemed cramped, loud, unwelcoming, and stinky. The admission price was ridiculous, and the gift shop was a few shelves of made in china junk. Hardly the environment to provide a healthy setting for the creatures living there or the visitors coming to learn about sea life. Ty likes his name on everything, but he ought to cough up many millions more to get this place right.

860! Compadre--I take down stealth ad signs All The Time! drives me nuts along roads, at intersections: "Pond Cleaning!" "Do your windows leak? Replacements!" "Re-fi NOW!" down they come. I 've recycled them into all sorts of things... :-)

374972 actually drivers pay for roads upkeep through tax and licensing fees so perhaps those using alternative transportation should be kicking in using your logic. Air travel does have fee's - airport/911 security and fed taxes as well.

it's "OK" as long as every blasted thing gets recycled or resold. No more trips to "the dump"! Let her Go Green and do a whole series on how to revamp a home ecologically! Wouldn't that be interesting and educational?

I love the positive energy I see in these. Taking time to knock them down is releasing negative energy. But this is a kind of art that people make, then walk away, and part of the fascination is how long do they last? How do they get knocked down? Nature? Fun? Maybe the women were having fun knocking them down, adding to their experience and the joy that they are getting from their beach walk.

The argument that MTD fares should cover MTD's operational costs is simplistic and not practical. Carrying that argument to its logical end every road should be a toll road and when you fly there should be an air traffic control fee. Afterall, it's not fair to ask a pedestrian who never flies to pay taxes for roads and air traffic control, is it?

MTD provides an extraordinarily beneficial service to this community, helping those who cannot afford vehicles and those who make the socially responsible decision to not drive them, get where they need to go. Raising fares should be a last resort. I would argue that MTD provides a public service for *everyone* in that they help reduce traffic, reduce polution, and get our workforce and students where they need to go. For this, they deserve public financial support.(Disclaimer: I don't work for MTD or have any close relationships with anyone who does).

I think it's a good trend that we're collectively turning from the gilt Donald Trump more is more style built to impress to cleaner lines. I find myself going more eclectic mixing antiques with modern as I get older and it feels good. Too often we stick with what we have out of laziness and it's good to shake up your environment every 10 years or so.

Hope the victim sues the bully. Having medical bills and a broken door paid for doesn't cover the pain and all of having his skull busted; for no reason, the poor guy did nothing, someone else provoked the bully by calling from the balcony. The football "star" had no prior record only because he'd never been caught before.

OK, as someone who definitely has a social conscience, I'd say the new "podium" store in Oxnard off Oxnard Blvd. is much better than the older and smaller Target off Vineyard; haven't been to the one at the S. Mills mall that much, which is a two-story. That said, the Camarillo store (50 minutes from Santa Barbara) is my favorite, and I've heard rumors that the Newbury Park store is even better than that!! Personally, I'm waiting.....and waiting....and waiting....for Goleta to hustle through approval for the proposed Target off Los Carneros.

For all those complaining about the CC bus rate, I pay it at UCSB as well, AND pay the insanely high tuition rate.

I haven't ridden the bus a single day to school, and I'm a graduating senior.

Don't forget about parking pass, which is less than $100/yr for CC students about about $500/yr for UCSB students.

You really don't have it that bad, I miss the days when I was a CC student. Try writing an appeal to get out of your parking ticket here if you forget your pass, the UCSB parking department is ruthless compared to SBCC's.

The whole purpose of public transportation is that everyone contributes. If you are complaining about paying and not using, I hope you are for lowering taxes on those that don't "use" their money. Not saying I'm for/against that, but sorry, that's how our society functions.

Golly sakes, what a big deal out of a few piled rocks the tide will tear down. I always like seeing what people make with driftwood or rocks. Look at the picture, does the little stack of rocks really "ruin your nature experience" at the beach? I agree with the poster, and thanks for bringing up the subject; the replies make for interesting reading.

I don't think Oprah paid 3xs what her place was worth. She paid 54mil for 44 acres w/3 houses, in a community where an acre costs 1mil. The people she bought from were building a 22,000 sq. ft. house, but it wasn't completed. I think "gutting" and "redecorating" are not the same, another media "Let's add drama" to an article. Oprah has also bought some surrounding property by her estate.

The question is: Why aren't more students utilizing MTD? Shame on them for imitating their parents and driving everywhere all of the time.

There is no doubt that more than 1/2 the students jostling for parking space near campus could and should be riding the bus. I applaud all the kids who ride the bus, ride their bikes and use their skateboards. Many thanks to the kids who don't contribute unnecessarily to air pollution and wasted fuel.

Pam, is there WiFi in the area? If so I can suggest an good high resolution camera called DropCam. It uploads the video wirelessly, so even if they steal the camera, you have them on video since the data is stored remotely by the company.For a few dollars a month they save all recorded video remotely and you can watch it later. The only negative is that the camera is not ok in rain, so you would need to remove when there is rain, or wait till rainy season is over.http://www.amazon.com/Dropcam-Wi-Fi-Wireless-Monitoring-Camera/dp/B006P88VSE

For the wireless detection, use this.http://www.amazon.com/Chamberlain-CWA2000-Wireless-Motion-Alert/dp/B002ISVJL6/

It works well. Get 3 or so additional remote sensors and place them around the area. It is very unlikely that they will see them. Alternate with your condo association - perhaps each person just one night a week monitors the unit for alarms. Then you just either look at the DropCam video on your computer, or go out there to confirm and call the cops.

It is easy to catch these people, Pam, if you follow this advice.

No need for injurious methods people have submitted, and the motion sprinklers are not going to do anything as they will just remove them. Plants take a long time to grow and they can just poison them with RoundUp - It happens. Think about it, of they are willing to climb freeway signs, they are willing to pull out plants if they like that wall to tag.

If you can't mount the cameras high or in a place that is inconspicuous, just mount them near the condo where the criminals will walk by on there way to the wall. Then the motion sensor will alert you to watch the video. Very easy.The camera has night vision, so no need for lights. Just bury or hide the power extension cord.

Any questions, let me know and please update us as to your results here on this page.